This invention relates to holsters for carrying weapons such as small hand guns to be used in protecting one's person. In particular, a holster in the form of a wallet or small purse adapted to surround and enclose the weapon but not interfer with the use or operation of same is disclosed.
It has been known to fashion weapon carrying holsters to protect the user by securely positioning the firearm in position for easy and convenient access while maintaining same in safe storage during normal physical movements. It has also been taught to provide a holster which will act to suitably conceal the weapon on the users person by surrounding the basic configuration of the weapon with a suitable semi-rigid material which changes the outer shape to that of something other than a gun. The McDonald U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,013 shows a concealing pouch for carrying a handgun. The McDonald pouch includes a slit for use in reaching the trigger and gas vents to release explosive gases. There is no disclosure of a means through which the bullet may leave the McDonald pouch and therefore use of same necessitates replacement of the pouch since a hole is blown through the barrel end of same by the bullet. Zipper openings also are provided to somewhat facilitate loading of the gun.
Another prior patent to Esposito U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,250 discloses a gun holster in the form of a glass carrying case and is designed to be carried in a pocket near the chest of the user. Here the weapon may be fired without removal from the holster but the weapon is not completely concealed or completely contained in the user's pocket. Consequently, the Esposito holster is nothing more than a support for the clip which secures the holster to the outside of the pocket in a manner similar to the way an eyeglass case is carried in a vest pocket.
Small and compact weapons have been known for sometime and in particular the Derringer is the most famous of the pocket pistols. It has also been known to provide a wallet holster to support and carry a Derringer pistol. Such holsters have been fashioned from a flat sheet of leather at which a marginal end includes a folded over flap of material preformed to receive the barrel of the pistol. The material of such a leather holster is sufficiently large so that it can wrap around the back of a small weapon extending along both sides to completely enclose same and provide a concealed wallet shaped jacket to contain the gun. In each side of the jacket is provided on opening which cooperates with the trigger of the weapon such that it may be fired while held between the sides of the wallet holster. In the user's pocket the holster is positioned with the open or muzzle end downwardly disposed such that the spine of the leather wrap around faces upwardly and outwardly to appear like a billfold. This aids in the concealment and protects the user. For example, if accosted by an armed robber the victim would reach for the wallet and come up with a protective weapon instead.
Many problems were presented in connection with the use of such a holster for the Derringer pocket pistol. In particular the gun was held in position in the holster merely by the barrel pocket. Consequently, the exact angle and location of the gun was not certain since the location of the gun was a function of its initial placement in the holster, jostling which took place after placement or the looseness caused by wear and tear on the barrel pocket. Another difficulty with such an arrangement was that the weapon had to be removed for reloading and with the limited capacity of a two shot firearm reloading could be frequent and onerous.
It became essential to provide a wallet holster like that used for the Derringer pocket pistol which would conceal a small, compact and easy to use semi automatic weapon, but would allow the weapon to be loaded and reloaded without removal from the holster. It was also deemed necessary to have a wallet holster which would permit the action occurring during use of such automatic firearms. The disclosure of the invention which follows will include a wallet holster capable of use with a small automatic type weapon.